There are some things which are very smug-making to have in a fridge. A bowl of fruit compote, for example. A bundle of herbs all lovingly wrapped in damp kitchen roll, a jar of homebrew kimchi, or a tub of bircher….

The very word ‘sloe’ is synonymous with ‘sloe gin’ or ‘sloe vodka’. Not so much ‘sloe whisky’ though…which is a real pity. Now don’t get me wrong. I love gin, and vodka. But both have a very dry, sharp taste which works wonderfully with the acidity of a lemon or a lime, or the bitterness of tonic.…

When I was doing restaurant shifts last summer, one of the things that most enthralled me most was the making of salad dressings. They’d use industrial stick blenders, which resembled jackhammers, and pour oil over brood’s-worth of egg yolks until everything emulsified into a thick, glossy dressing….

The title of this blog post has just annoyed me, so I apologise if it’s grated on you too. What a stupid thing to suggest: A salad dressing made from leftovers. The very nature of leftovers means that everybody’s are different….

Meet Rachel

Hello, I'm Rachel Walker, an editor and food writer across national publications. If you’re interested in reading my cuttings, then click here →This blog is a little online space which I set up in 2011, to record some of my favourite recipes and experiments – from smoking salmon in a dustbin, to bringing lambs' tongues. Read more about my culinary adventures by clicking here →